The Firestone
by WindsockSquirrel
Summary: This book tells of a young, poor red pikmin named Jay, who stole an idol from his home village. The story continues as the pikmin learns about the idol and agrees to take it back to its resting spots miles and miles from home. Notes: Rated T for gory battle scenes. Chapters 1-7 complete. They just need editing :P
1. Chapter 1 Escape My Life

A shadow meekly enters a room filled with a hot glow. A slender red hand reached out and enveloped a small orange stone. He looked down and saw the bright, glowing stone that will change his life forever.

He glanced back at the entrance, and then to himself. Tattered clothes hung untidily on his skinny frame. He knew this was wrong, but there was no other choice. Clutching the stone close to him he dashed out of the tent. The two large guards saw the fleeing pikmin, and the glint of a small stone in his hand. Confused they crawled into the tent. An engraved pedestal sat in the room with nothing on it. The guards exchanged glances then chased after the fleeing pikmin.

"He has it. He stole it. That one, right there!" one of the guards exclaimed to the small village, "Quickly, get him before it's gone forever!"

The fleeing pikmin heard the guard's cries. Suddenly this wasn't such a good idea. Remembering his plans, he darted towards the east gate. However, the guard woke up from his post. Seeing the ruckus behind the pikmin, the guard threw himself on the theif. Sliding out of the way, the theif dashed away. The east exit was guarded, but maybe, just maybe he could get to the north gates before the traders leave.

Looking over his shoulder he saw that a large mob was now following him, but they were far behind him, as long as he kept his pace the mob shouldn't be able to catch him. Suddenly a volley of arrows flew above him. Jagged flint heads teased at his arms, followed by sleek wooden shafts. Arrows landed all around him as he dived behind a local store. The mob followed him viciously through the alleyways tripping over the occasional garbage can. The theif clambered out of the alleyways and back into the streets. Luckily, he was nearing the north gate, but the merchants were dotted all over the clearing obscuring his path.

"He stole it, get him now!" the mob shouted. Shoppers looked up from their trinkets and stared at the fleeting figure, "He has the Firestone!"

Outraged the merchants pelted him with produce and slammed the carts into his way. The mob of guards quickly caught up and were attempting to tackle him. One caught his leg and sent the thief tumbling over in the dust. The rest of the squadron surround him as the theif dusted himself off.

"I can't go like this, not now" he mumbled to himself. He glanced around to see the triumphant looks of the guards as they neared him, ready to slice off his head with their long, sharp blades, when suddenly, a hot sensation seared through his hand. His hands felt as if they were going melt, and then he hear a shout. The guard tossed his sword in the air and was holding his hand in pain. The sword landed on the ground, white hot and covered in flames. The sword shuddered on the ground and then flew into one of the merchants carts. The wooden vehicle lit aflame and began to spread tendrils of fire across the town. Panicked the crowd tried to put out the growing beast of flame. Normally this wouldn't be a problem for a large group of red pikmin, but flames danced on the houses, causing destruction and decay. A pikmin ran screaming carrying young pikmin, a large metal tub shot out of the house and sprayed thick oil all across the scene.

The thief thought to himself, "How did I do that?" but he knew that this wasn't the time for questions. He dashed for the north gate. But a few of the guards saw him and pursued. The young pikmin sprinted across the fields, a damp musk lingered in the air, he recognized that it had rained. Puddles of hazardous rain littered the ground. He looked back and saw the ten pikmin chasing him, and then he looked at a large meadow off to the east. A roaring stream had formed. He sighed and continued into the forest, it was too late to get to the meadow.

The pikmin trudged through the dense undergrowth. He winced as thousands of thorns kissed his soft red flesh. Behind him he heard slashing, he swore under his breath. They had time to cut away the prickly underbrush, all they had to do was keep up the chase until he tired out. He didn't have time though, he couldn't lose his lead , he had a large lead keeping him from the group of guards behind him. The slash of the mobs' machetes rang in his ear, but he kept going. One hand was placed readily on the hilt of his dagger.

He had gotten it when he was two years old, the words his mother told him rang clear in this head, "Jay, this is for you. One day you will have to protect yourself. Use this wisely and it will protect you".

He glanced at the small stone nestled carefully in a pouch hanging from his belt. He was poor, he wore a tunic made out of a pellet sack, his dear mother spent a lot of time making it, and he wore a belt made of dried bulborb meat, which had a few pouches and a place to sheath his dagger. His dagger cost a fortune, but his parents gave it to him despite how poor they were.

He came to a small clearing. He nimbly climbed one of the large trunks of a near by tree, but he was gradually losing his lead. He made it to a large branch and curled up there. The guards burst into the clearing below, but could not find him. The theif sat there and examined his situation.

"I am Jay Ito. I am fourteen years old. Its five o'clock in the afternoon. I have a small stone I just stole. Guards just chased me through town and attempted to murder me, and I fled to the forest. My family is waiting for me in... the meadow..."

His eyes welled up with tears as the thought caught up with him. He might not, no, will not ever see his family again. Glancing at the stone in his pocket Jay filled with an indescribable rage He wanted to throw the puny gem, rid himself of it, he wanted to destroy it. This pathetic pebble robbed him of what mattered, his family. He remembered his family as if they were there with him. They were there... yesterday.

He , his sister's soothing voice saying, "Jay, you don't have to do this. We will be fine."

Then he remembered the following morning, a very sad day indeed. A male shergrub took the life of his younger brother. That was the day it all went wrong. That day was today.

"Rachel, we are living low enough. Death is stabbing its evil fingers into our lives, and it won't stop till it gets all of us. Trust me, this will turn out great. We can go find a new place to live, and make a fortune. Just go hide in the meadow beyond the east gate." Jay remembered saying those words to his sister. How wrong he was.

Furiously he glanced back at the stone, cranked back his arm, and swung his arm as hard as he could, but he didn't release his grasp. He couldn't throw it that would be ridiculous, if the legends were true then this stone contain liquid fire. He'd just light up the whole forest, but that would be fine in this case.

Jay gasped, the legends, hadn't thought about it until. He had stolen the idol of his village. This small stone that lay in his hand was the Firestone, the stone that has saved his elders time and time again. In one day, he had ruined eons of tradition. He stole it, for selfish purposes, and now he was attempting to flee from his village and sell it to help his family. He let out a sob, he failed his family.

His family is what drove him to steal this priceless item. Jay might have lived but the whole plan ended in a bitter failure. The evil voice in his mind nagged him, " Your incompetent. This was one little task, go in and come out with the stone. You're a total failure!" Jay began to wrestle with his conscience. He felt betrayal. Jay betrayed himself, his family, his village, the great flying fire, the tree he sat in, the ground, the air he breathed, and the stone in his hand. He sobbed again.

"Drat, we lost him!" shouted one of the guards. Then, a small water droplet plummeted from the foliage above, a tear. The red pikmin looked up expecting rain, but to his surprise he saw a small crimson being, " Oh. There he is boys. Josh, Rodney, Flare go climb that tree, bring him back…dead or alive." With that three red pikmin drew short, sharp swords crafted carfully with iron ore.

Jay was in perplexity, should he leave the stone? No, they would still kill him, or worse. Jay drew his dagger. His mother's voice spoke in his mind, "Jay, this is for you. One day you will have to protect yourself. Use this wisely and it will protect you." The three aggressive red pikmin scaled the tree, and Jay new that they would end his life if he failed this time. Jay ran to the edge of the branch and jumped to another one that sprouted from a nearby tree. After reaching the trunk he slashed at the branch weakening it enough to collapse under its own weight. Jay nimbly edged his way around to the other side of the tree

Suddenly his hearts stoped. A red pikmin. At first glance it caused panic, but a second look revealed an attractive female red pikmin decked out in leather armor. She sported, a bow made of wood and dweevil silk, and a couple of snaget feathered arrows. She was not the enemy. She couldn't be. She met eyes with him and then nodded to the branch below them.

"I don't know who you are or who those guys are, but your probably going to endanger us both. Follow me!" he whispered as she lead Jay to a small knot in the tree which slid off easily revealing a small room, she and Jay piled in there and closed the false knot, " My name is Mozilla Firefox. I'll tell you more tomorrow it is late now, sleep."


	2. Chapter 2 High Stakes

The sun had just arisen and blanketed the land with sheets of warmth. Warm shafts of light slithered through the knothole. Miserable and reluctant, Jay crawled from the leaf he had spent the night in. He looked over to see that Mozilla was know where to be found. Jay started to walk towards the door, but found himself sprawled on the floor. He tripped on a wayward book. Its rusty, worn lock was left gaping open, yellow tinted pages fluttered slightly under the heavy, leather cover. Jay tentatively cracked open the cover. The scent of old paper wafted into his face. Jay looked back at the door, and then began to read.

_Day 1  
__ I've finally made it away from town. I really hope they are not following me. The forest is huge and over bearing. Tall trees loom over me where ever I go and I hear the voices of beasts lurking in the bushes._

_Day 2  
The stress of loneliness is tugging at me. I have nobody to lean upon, its just me and the beasts of the forest. I feel frail and vulnerable out here._

_Day 3  
I've found shelter in a tree's knot, its damp and smells of beetles, but it will have to suffice. During the night I see things roaming around, huge beasts. The horrid things just go and eat each other. I have no chance against such things. I'm just a lone, unarmed pikmin._

Jay continued reading, intrigued by this pikmin's story of survival. As he read he learned of her first attempt of a bow, and how she slayed one of the beasts, how she began to be the forest.

Suddenly, Mozilla burst into the knot hole and dashed over to her bow which was hanging on a small hook. "Bad news they" she started to say, "Wait, what are you doing? Is that my journal?" she snapped the book out of Jay's hand, " Why are you rummaging through my stuff! Who gave you permission!" she shouted and clutched the book close to her.

"Look, I-" Jay splutted

Mozilla interrupted, " I don't even know your name and now you are dancing around like you own the place!" her voice was shrill, "we have to go! The leader just sent for reinforcements, as soon as they come back they will storm this forest until they find you!"

"I didn't mean to upset you. I just thought it was interesting." Jay replied.

Mozilla mocked, "It was intresting" Mozilla looked back at him, " Look, who ever you are, all you need to know is that I have been here alone for three years!"

"M-my name is Jay" Jay stuttered, deeply hurt by her harsh words, "Jay Ito"

Mozilla looked at him for a second and then sharply said, "We have to go."

With that said Mozilla and Jay trudged through the dense undergrowth. Loud chirpings and a distant roar filled the cool air, a light shower sprinkled down the deep green leaves. It was cold and damp, but they trudged onward, for what seemed like hours.

_Krshak_

"What was that?" Jay questioned alarmed. Instinctively his fingers flew to his dagger. He glanced around towards the sound. More twigs snapped and were coming closer. A low moan spoke from the undergrowth, and a large, fearsome bulborb tore out of the hiding place. Scars and claw marks speckled across its broad face. Its maw was wet and dripping with blood.

Jay wrenched his dagger out of his sheath and prepared to strike, while Mozilla fumbled with an arrow and took aim. The bulborb thrashed around snapping its oversized jaws. It charged at Jay with its mouth stretched wide, but he leaped out of the way. Mozilla's arrow flew from its bow at the bulborb, but it missed its mark and wedged itself into a tree with a resounding thunk.

The bulborb turned to Mozilla gazing hungrily at her and charged. It swooped down to gobble Mozilla, but to no avail, and it tumbled in an embarrassing fall. Jay leapt onto the beast's snout and stabbed at its eye stalks.

However, the bulborb flung the helpless pikmin off its face, but another arrow flew and struck the gargantuan predator in the back. The bulborb lunged again, but crashed into a tree, causing an abundance of leaves to fall. The beast snapped again still battling for a scrumptious snack.

Jay rolled out of the way of the beast's way but was a second too slow. Thick fangs burrowed into his flesh. He could feel his blood welling up on his face. Mozilla desperately flung more arrows at the beast. Suddenly, Jay's hand was alive with flame. The stone in his pocket coursed with power and fire. The bulborb winced in pain and then flung the pikmin out of his mouth. It wailed aloud and a dark charred spot lay on the roof of its mouth. The embers burned through its mouth melting the flesh around it. Twigs and leaves near its feet caught fire as well. Burning pain enveloped the beast. A desperate cry of agony sliced through the air as the ferocious beast lost hold of life.

A pale spirit floated gently from the corpse and soared to the heavens. Blood was splattered everywhere, and a limp, flaming carcass sat in the small clearing sporting a large wound and three arrows embedded in it.

Jay's arm was badly wounded,but that was the least of their worries. A small fire spread from the bulborb and began devouring the undergrowth, and smoke rose into the air.

/

Meanwhile, a guards of red pikmin had arrived at Jay's home village. They clumsily hobbled to a small tent in the back portion of the village. A gruff pikmin sat in a sharp angluar chair. Three pikmin approached him.

"So did your team find that street urchin yet?" he grumbled leaning forward in his chair.

"No, Scorch, sir" one stuttered.

"What!" Scorch shouted standing bolt upright, "You had thirty people on your squad and you can't find one pikmin!"

"Its a big forest, sir"

"Rodney," Scorched boomed, "you disappoint me."

Scorch dramatically waltzed over to a spiked display case. He rummaged through a stack of weapons. He tossed a pair of twisted scimitars; a weighted mace covered in thick spines; and a long, wide lance.

"Take these you are going to need them." barked Scorch as he pulled out a barbed, iron whip, "He must get that boy, and make him pay for what he has done."

Now thirsty for the blood of justice, Scorch set out with a small militia. "Okay boys spread out among the forest line, that way he has no escape, then half of us will hound them out!"

"Josh, Rodney, Flare! Your with me we'll go in and find him." Scorch commanded, "Hmm. Smoke. All the easier."


	3. Chapter 3 The Haunted Hallows

The small squad entered the dense forest, as the rest of the army patrolled the borders. Scorch and his crew cruised through the shrubbery, trailing the scent of smoke. A dense smoke rose from the forest, a great lead that they couldn't leave behind.

/

Meanwhile, our duo was desperately attempting to snuff the flames. Jay and Mozilla were desperately trying to pat out the flames with their leaves. The inferno was crawling up the trees and devouring the foliage, soon the entire forest would be engulfed by this blaze. The melting carcass laid there now a pile of ribs and femurs.

Time was running out, and soon they would be caught, mounted on a stick, and be tossed in a pit of bulborb larvae.

"We need water! This fire is too large to just fan!" cried Jay.

"Well, Where are we going to get it genius?" replied Mozilla.

"How am I supposed to know? All I see is fire and smoke," snapped Jay.

"Then we can't stay here! Come on we're getting out of here!" said Mozilla.

The two pikmin fled leaving the flames to their selves. The firestorm continued its massive feast as if it hadn't eaten in centuries. The duo charged through the undergrowth, and fled the scene.

Soon a fine mist layered the moist earth, and the trees took a bewitched shape. Low moans and faint creaking sung through the sinister woods ahead. The vibrant sun faded into a dull smudge, and strange figures tore at the sky. Jay and Mozilla sat down to rest for a moment.

"Whoa, where are we?" questioned Jay.

"I have no idea," answered Mozilla.

"Help! Someone! Anyone! Please help!" pled a distant voice.

Jay's stem perked up as he heard it. The voice called for help again.

"Mozilla. Do you hear that?" Jay asked.

"Yes." Mozilla replied peering into the fog, "It sounds like someone asking for help."

They followed the voice until they came upon low hanging branches, bramble was nestled all across the area and hooked thorns reached out at them. A small figure squealed from the center. Jay drew his dagger and slashed at the brittle twigs. He came upon a shuddering white pikmin wrapped up in a thick mucus. He was hanging on a branch. Jay deftly whacked him down with his stem. The white pikmin squeaked as he hit the ground, Jay began to clean him off. He carried the small shuddering body out of the brambles.

"Th-th-thank you kind pikmin. My name is Thistle," he stuttered looking at Jay, " I am eternally grat– Ah!"

A hideous shape soared through the trees and snapped at them. With a blood-curdling scream it lunged, and slashed attempting to maul these trespassers. They had shattered its food net and took the bait.

"What the hell is that?" screamed Jay.

"The m-m-monster that stole me," whimpered Thistle as he huddled up close to Jay shaking.

"What does it want?" inquired Mozilla.

"I think it wants to eat me, but it hasn't yet" cried Thistle.

The monstrous being made a loud shriek and lunged again, and this time it just barely missed Jay. It opened its dreadful jaws and snapped. It screeched again and hunted around the clearing sweeping its wing across the ground, but Jay slashed its large leathery wings. The creature whirled around and blindly swiped at Jay barely grazing his stem.

A shaft of sunlight peeped though the clouds illuminating the huge beast. It was deep brown with wide blue wings. A smooth hideous face devoid snarled at them twitching its humungous ears. Thistle, who hid behind some brambles, screamed. The strange monster whipped around to face him, teeth bared. Mozilla launched an arrow into its wing, and then hurried over to Thistle and guarded him. It glanced in the direction the arrow had come from and flailed its wings.

Jay had an idea, "Hey ugly!" he shouted, " Want some nice juicy meat?"

The beast lashed about and faced in Jay's direction. Jay dived behind a tree and shouted some more. The beast made charged at Jay, only to smash into the tree. Mozilla caught up on the act and hoisted Thistle behind a tree.

"Hey you! The stupid one!" Mozilla shouted

"Yeah, Mister No Eyes come get us" Thistle followed.

The beast dived again crashing into another tree. Jay sneaked up, and leapt onto its back then started stabbing repeatedly. He leapt off, and dived behind another tree. The beast was fed up, and started screaming again.

"Hey want a nice juicy pikmin?" teased Jay.

It screeched at the pikmin and charged forward. It nimbly leapt onto the tree and crawled around it. It loomed over Jay and screamed spraying foul smelling saliva on his face. Jay backed away horrified.

"Ahhhhh! No!" cried Thistle.

The large creature scurried towards Jay and pinned him down. It grabbed him by the stem and flung him in the air. Jay flailed about uselessly and tumbled out of the sky. _Whump. _Jay stood up disoriented. The beast scampered quickly at him. Jay reached for his dagger, but the bat beat him to it. It swiped him with his wing and sent him tumbling across the ground. Jay got up and shook himself off. The monster came to bat at him again, but a shaft burrowed deeply in his back. The monster winced and whirled around. Jay nimbly dove under him and dashed for his dagger.

The beast turned to where it adversary stood a second before and screeched. Confused it span around screeching. Jay leapt at it and stabbed its wing, the thick leathery wing was hard to pierce. The beast flapped it wings frantically to throw Jay off. He tumbled into the dust disarmed.

The savage fiend took a wild swing with its large fibrous wing in an attempt to ensnare Jay, but he dove behind a tree in time. The monster scoured the area for the pikmin. Jay leapt onto its back held on. The monster whirled attempting to buck off Jay. Jay took the opportunity to leap onto its wing, he desperately struggled to get the blade out, but he was thrown to the ground. Mozilla had fired off a few more arrows, but the beast took no mind. It swooped up at Jay and flung him into the brambles.

Thick, hooked thorns griped at is soft flesh, his antenna was wedged in a branch. The monster thundered through the bramble, crunching loudly as it stepped. Jay twisted and struggled to get free, but the thorns tore gashes every time he moved. The behemoth leaped down on top of him to land a crushing blow, but arrow struck it in the face. It tumbled out of the sky sideways and thudded on the ground. It stood up slowly and shook itself off. It reached desperately at the arrow on its face, but could not remove it. Another on caught it in the wing the beast gave up its hunt for Jay and searched around for Mozilla. Arrows were flying from behind the trees and the monster span around confused. One last arrow stuck dead center in its dull, blank face. An earsplitting shrill echoed through the forest as the creature fell. Mucous poured out of its face wound leaving a wrinkled, flat head. Its wings twitched slightly in defiance to its death.

When Jay finally worked his way out of the brambles he saw Mozilla picking arrow out of its body. She tossed his dagger to him.

"Thanks" Jay said picking up his weapon, "You were a natural out there."

"It was nothing" Mozilla replied, yanking out an arrow lodged in its wing.

"Oh but you were! You were the best! You were like bang and pew and zow! And you saved me!" Thistle squeaked hopping up and down.

"Well now that your safe, we should bring you home." Jay said smiling down at the white pikmin.

"I-I can't" Thistle said, tears welled up in his eyes, "I don't know where it is."

Mozilla wrapped her arms around him, "Don't worry. You can live with us. And we will find your home together."

/

Meanwhile, Scorch arrived at the flaming bulborb, disappointed. By they time he got there they had fled. Furiously he kicked a burned down shrub, and revealed fresh footprints. The chase was still on.


End file.
